Staff Reports
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has taken the reins of the Pentagon with the zeal of a coach determined to turn a floundering team into champions. The new administration is clearly not in the mood for tiptoeing around politically correct practices, especially when they get in the way of military readiness. Hegseth’s latest directive? A sweeping 60-day review of the military combat arms standards that, for too long, were held hostage by the “everyone gets a trophy” crowd.
In an effort to eradicate the notion that gender should be a factor in combat readiness, Hegseth’s memo establishes that both men and women must meet the same rigorous physical requirements if they aspire to serve in combat roles. The Pentagon has been criticized for allowing standards to “slip” since 2016 when it first opened combat positions to women, and Hegseth is poised to usher in a new era of accountability—or as some might say, a return to reality.
For far too long, we have allowed standards to slip. We’ve had different standards for men/women serving in combat arms MOS’s and jobs….
That’s not acceptable, and it changes right now! pic.twitter.com/Zn9OyBew6G
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) March 31, 2025
No one’s arguing that physical strength isn’t vital when it comes to hauling heavy loads and surviving hostile environments. Hegseth’s memo shines a light on the harsh realities of combat, where being out of shape can have lethal consequences. The memo outlines that military branches must redefine combat and non-combat roles while emphasizing the need for heightened entry-level and sustained physical fitness in three key military specialties. In short, if a service member can’t keep up with the demands, they shouldn’t be in the fight.
The revisitation of standards seems a necessary corrective after a 2022 study showed that a whopping 65 percent of women flunked the Army Combat Fitness Test. Instead of trying to lower the bar, Hegseth is insisting that it be raised for everyone. Perhaps this is something the military should have done a long time ago instead of pandering to a narrative that prioritizes equality over capability.
To add authenticity to the mission, Hegseth made it clear that future standards must be sex-neutral and purely focused on the operational demands of combat. In doing so, he’s sending a powerful message that when the rubber meets the road, it’s performance that counts—not the sentimental need to provide an easier path for anyone based on gender. As military branches scramble to comply, America should expect to see a stronger, more capable armed forces, free of the shackles of outdated standards that could potentially endanger lives in the heat of battle.
